Eurovision Song Contest
Great moments and low points: This is how Germany has performed at the ESC since 1956
At the ESC 2010 in Oslo there was one of the great moments that has recently become very rare from a German perspective: Lena Meyer-Landruth won with her title “Satellite”.
© Joerg Carstensen/ / Picture Alliance
Germany has been involved in the European song competition since the first ESC in 1956. There were some ups and a lot of downs. See all German rankings at a glance
Germany and the Eurovision Song Contest have always had a very changeable relationship, sometimes characterized by joy but often by frustration. Participants ended up at the top of the podium twice: Nicole won the competition in 1982 with “A Little Peace”, Lena in 2010 with “Satellite”. Moments that have become entrenched in national memory like only major football titles. In addition, Germany made it into the top field a few times, but often ended up in the middle of the field or below. At the end of the 1990s, Stefan Raab temporarily discovered the competition and managed to give the outdated ESC a fresher image. Incidentally, the GDR did not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest during its existence, but did take part in the competing Intervision song competition, which was held between 1977 and 1980 in Sopot, Poland.
The graphic below shows all German ESC placements since the competition was founded in 1956:
ESC after 2010: Most of the time there were only seats in the basement
The results were mostly sobering, especially after Lena Meyer-Landruth’s triumph in Oslo. Lena and Roman Lob made it into the top ten again in the following years and Michael Schulte even reached fourth place in 2018 – otherwise there were only places in the basement. The The low point was certainly the year 2015 when the pitiful Ann Sophie didn’t receive a single point. The trend has been downwards for years, as the line in the chart above shows. From a German perspective, a depressing development.
His ESC successes
Raab wants to go to the ESC again? Why this is a good idea
In the gallery: Stefan Raab and the song contest. This love story could finally continue – because he is supposedly planning a revolution in the German preliminary round. Raab has often demonstrated his knack for the musical spectacle. A look back.